Key-ring from a photographic roll film casing

ABSTRACT

This present invention relates to a key-ring which makes use of a photographic roll film casing, where said photographic film has already been developed, thereby avoiding the creation of waste and reducing environmental pollution. Said photographic film casing, without the corresponding photographic material therein, will be used together with the structure proposed by this present invention as a means for holding keys, commonly referred to as key-rings. Our invention incorporates, on the periphery of the insert or cylindrical rod, outer lugs which will give a similar configuration to an outer threading, and which will allow said insert to become firmly fitted and locked to the corresponding threading central hole of the photographic film casing, thereby avoiding the use of any glue or adhesive. The rod end not inserted to the casing will have three preferred forms of embodiment, such as a ring or a loop which closes on itself or on a small hole on which the outer ring is coupled. It will be also possible to provide said rod with two diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves or one longitudinal passing groove.

[0001] This invention relates to a key-ring which comprises the casingof photographic roll films, which have already been developed, therebyavoiding the creation of wastes and, therefore, reducing environmentalpollution. Said photographic film casing, already without thephotographic material, will be used together with the structure hereinproposed as a means for holding keys, commonly referred to as akey-ring.

[0002] Regarding prior art related to this invention, a key-ring isalready known in the market which comprises photographic film casings,though the same enjoys no patent protection. According to this prior artkey-ring, the element on which the keys are inserted is attached to thecasing through the use of an insert which keeps the same fitted to thehollow central structure of the film casing by the use of a glue oradhesive.

[0003] In the manufacture of said key-ring, the use of said adhesive orglue was time-consuming and more expensive. Said manufacture was carriedout by the employers of photographic stores, who had to fix the insertwith adhesive and then place it on the photographic roll film casing.

[0004] Use of an inadequate amount of adhesive many times caused theinsert to get loose from the casing or the amount of adhesive was notsufficient for the scheduled number of inserts, because more adhesivethan necessary had been already used.

[0005] This present invention further provides improvements to the keyholding elements.

[0006] In the light of the foregoing, we have developed a system forfastening the inserts which will avoid any other disadvantages.

[0007] This invention solves the above problems by incorporating, on theperiphery of the insert, outer lugs which lead to a configurationsimilar to that of an outer thread and which allow said insert to becomefirmly fitted and locked to the corresponding thread-shaped central holeof the photographic roll film casing, thereby avoiding the use of anyglue or adhesive.

[0008] Considering the nearest prior art, we can state that thisinvention refers to a novel object with the necessary inventive merit tobe granted a patent protection.

[0009] For the better understanding of this present invention and of theabove-commented advantages, together with any other characteristicsthose skilled in the art may also consider, there follows a detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment of the proposed key-ringcomprising a photographic roll film casing of this invention, based onthe attached drawings, wherein:

[0010]FIG. 1a shows a first perspective view of a first preferredembodiment of this invention.

[0011]FIG. 1b shows a second perspective view of the first preferredembodiment of this invention.

[0012]FIG. 1c shows a side view of the invention of FIG. 1a.

[0013]FIG. 1d shows a plan view of the invention of FIG. 1a.

[0014]FIG. 2a shows a first perspective view of a second preferredembodiment of the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 2b shows a second perspective view of the second preferredembodiment of the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 2c shows a top view of the invention of FIG. 2a.

[0017]FIG. 2d shows a side view of the invention of FIG. 2a.

[0018]FIG. 2e shows a plan view of the invention of FIG. 2a.

[0019]FIG. 3a shows a first perspective view of the third preferredembodiment of the present invention.

[0020]FIG. 3b shows a second perspective view of the third preferredembodiment of the present invention

[0021]FIG. 3c shows a type of hook or ring to be coupled to the deviceof the invention.

[0022]FIG. 3d shows a side view of the invention of FIG. 3a.

[0023]FIG. 3e shows a plan view of the invention of FIG. 3a.

[0024]FIGS. 4^(a), 4 b and 4 c show respective perspective views of thefirst, second and third embodiments incorporated to the photographicfilm casing.

[0025]FIG. 1a y 1 b show the perspective view of the first embodiment ofour invention, which contains a plastic loop 1 which closes on itself(its end being fixed to hole 7) at the time the key-ring is formed, andon the other end thereof there is a rod 2 which will allow the device tobecome attached to the photographic film casing.

[0026]FIG. 1e shows the side view of the first embodiment of theinvention, where the rod or cylindrical element 2 will allow—throughretention lugs 3 on the periphery thereof—to attach loop 1 to thephotographic film casing.

[0027] Once lugs 3 are inserted in the cylindrical rod on thephotographic film casing, the said lugs will be fitted to the innerthreading central hole of the photographic film casing.

[0028] The said cylindrical rod 2 shall not be longer than the length ofthe casing where the same is introduced.

[0029] It can be seen that rod 2 shall be provided with two longitudinalopposite grooves 4 on the periphery. The two-part symmetricalconfiguration of the rod allows the same to easily enter the centralhole of the film casing.

[0030]FIG. 1d shows a plan view of the longitudinal groove 4 and lugs 3.

[0031]FIGS. 2a y 2 b are perspective views of the second embodiment ofour invention, which show a second configuration of the key-holding ring1. In this case, the ring is closed differently from the loop of thefirst embodiment of the invention.

[0032] It can be seen that this embodiment of the body of the key-ringis formed by a single body comprising a longitudinal passing groovewhich defines two equal halves thereof. Said rod configuration allows itto easily enter the central hole of the film casing. When entering thefilm casing, the said parts will approximate one to the other as aresult of the longitudinal groove, and will then go back to theiroriginal configuration, thereby achieving the safe fitting and lockingof the rod within the casing.

[0033]FIGS. 2c, 2 d and 2 e are respective top, side and bottom views ofthe drawing of FIG. 2a, and which show passing groove 4 and lugs 3.

[0034]FIGS. 3a and 3 b are perspective views of the third embodiment ofour invention, which show a third configuration of rod head 1 (in thiscase the rod is identical to that of the first embodiment of theinvention), which upper part 5 comprises a small hole 7 for the passageof an outer ring, as shown by reference 8.

[0035]FIGS. 4^(a), 4 b and 4 c show respectively the three preferredembodiments of the invention incorporating a rod in the central hole ofthe photographic film casing, referred to as “d”. Said figures show thedifferent embodiments of this invention as a, b and c.

[0036] We consider the above description of the structure of the holderof our invention will fully understandable for a person skilled in theart.

1. Key-ring from a photographic film casing, characterized in that it iscomprises a cylindrical rod which outer surface comprises retentionlugs, and wherein the key holding element projects from one end thereof.2. Key-ring from a photographic film casing according to claim 1,characterized in that the key holding element is a ring.
 3. Key-ringfrom a photographic film casing according to claim 1, characterized inthat the key holding element is a loop which closes on the rod head. 4.Key-ring from a photographic film casing according to claim 1,characterized in that the key holding element comprises a small hole onthe rod end.
 5. Key-ring from a photographic film casing according toclaim 1, characterized in that the said rod comprises two diametricallyopposed peripheral longitudinal grooves.
 6. Key-ring from a photographicfilm casing according to claim 1, characterized in that the rodcomprises a longitudinal groove passing from side to side oo theperiphery thereof.
 7. Key-ring from a photographic film casing accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the said key-ring is made of plasticmaterial.
 8. Key-ring from a photographic film casing according to claim1, characterized in that said cylindrical rod extends along the fulllength of the photographic film casing.